Automatic controlling apparatus



-Dec. 8, 1931.

F. c. cmamsaomu AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2- 7' 6 a 7 I v 2/ 2o 2/ 4 6 k zo l/ x x ,5 1

K /7 6 1/ /4 5 it w Wasle v W INVENTOR wlT ESSES i Frederic c Umdborn BY T Whi MW Supply ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1.

SSS Es Sheec e t EN OR Fredgic C C/zadborn Patented Dec. 8, 1931 PATENT OFFICE I, v FREDERIG C. CHADBORN, OF NEVIBURGH, NEW YORK AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application filed December 26, 1928. Serial No. 328,421.

This invention relates to an automatic controlling apparatus and in-its broadest aspect includes an automatic control through the medium of a thermostat of any mechanism designated by the term work through themedium of a stop and waste balanced valve. 7

In the narrow conception of the invention it includes electric means, such as electromagnets, for directly moving the valve and the circuit to said'magnets controlled by a thermostat and a moving part of the work. I

A primary object of the invention therefore is to provide automatic means whereby a'valve is employed automatically operated upon temperature changes to control the flow of a fluid, either liquid or gaseous, to any work desired and requiring any power to v move it. 1

Specifically, I have illustrated my invention in'connect-ion with means for opening and closing a steam supply valve, such as employed in heating, but of course the invention is in no senselimited to the particular work to be performed, and the automatic controlling mechanism is adapted to a great variety of uses.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a View partly in longitudinal section, partly in elevation but mainly diagrammatic, illustrating one application of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in section on the line 22of Figure 1 Figure 3 is an enlarged View, illustrating my improved armature and electromagnets for operating'the same;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electric circuit employed in connection with the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1.

In the particular apparatus 1 represents a cylinder which communicates with a cylinder 2 of smaller diameter, and pistons 3 and 4 are provided in the respective cylinders 1 and 2 and rigidly connected by a rod 5. These pistons 8 and i are of course of different diameters, and for convenience of description they shall be hereinafter referred to as the larger piston 3 and the smaller piston 1.

Arms Gare fixed to the rod 5 and projected through slots 7 in cylinder 2 and are connected by links 8 with a crosshead 9 below the cylinder 2. This crosshead 9 is fixedly connected to the stem 10 of a valve 11, the valve 11 being movable in a valve casing 12 to control the flow of steam or other fluid, and for convenience of description we will assume that this casing 12 has an inlet 13 and an outlet 14.

15 represent-s a stop and waste cock which is balanced under pressure. A pipe 16 connects the valve 15 with the lower end of cylinder 2, and a pipe 17 connects the valve 15 with the upper end of cylinder 1. 18 represents a waste pipe which may be used where liquid fluid is employed but may be dispensed with and merely a waste orifice be provided in the valve when air is employed as a fluid.

19 represents a fluid supply pipe which communicates with the pipe 16 intermediate the ends of the latter, and it is to be understood that in employing this term fluid I use the same in its broadest sense to include any liquid or fluid which may be utilized.

In Figure 1 it would appear that this fluid is a liquid, and of course a liquid may be employed and the ordinary water power of a city supply may be used in many cases, but in most cases I shall employ compressed air as a fluid, so that it will be understood that the drawings are illustrative only of a particular fluid.

The valve 15 is illustrated as having two armatures 20 secured thereto and projecting in opposite directions, and each of these ar matures are controlled by a pair of electromagnets, all of the magnets being given the same reference numeral 21.

The armatures are of general V-shape, as illustrated in the enlarged View in Figure 3, and the magnets controlling these armatures are preferably out of alinement, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

'The reason for employing the V-shaped type of armature isthat when the magnet is energized the linesof force or flux of the magnet have ajgreater attraction over a sur face parallel to the armature, and a minimum of power is employed to move the armature, and the valve. The magnets are preferably staggered as illustrated so as to prevent thepair of magnets being energized when one is energized, or any other detect in the operation of the magnets.

' 22 represents a thermostat which operates as a circuit; closer between adjustable contacts 23v-and 24-,

The parts; above described are included in an electric circuit which will automatically control the operation of the magnets due to theactio'n of the thermostat, and-hence of course due to the temperature, and in Figure 4 I ilhistrateacircjuit which will answer the purpose Y i I r he movable part of the work, indicated at the right ofFigure 1, and preferably one ofthe links 8 carries a contact 25 which is movable between contacts 26 and 217.

- Current passes from'the positive pole of battery 28 through wire 80 to thermostat 22, being in contact with screw 24, thence through wire 36 to lower left-hand magnet 21, thence through wire to contact 26,

thence (contact 25 being closed) throughcontact- 25 and wire 29th negative poleof battery. Short wires 37 and 38- connect the upper right-hand magnet with wires 35 and '36,resp.ectively, and reverse.

TllflOPQlltIOIl of the controlling mechanism asindicated in the diagram in Figure LShows the contact 25 against contact 26 and the thermostatic circuit closer 22 against contact 24m When the-contacts are in this position the pistons 3 and 1 are in their highest positions the circuit is closed so as to movethe valve 15 through the medium ofthe; armatures 20to the position shown; in Figure 4 so that the passage of the operating fluid will be as follows It is tobe understood and it is. clearly il lustrated in Figure -1, that the fiuid entering the pipe19 is indirect communication at all times, with the lower end oi the smaller cylinder 2, and when the valve closes communication with the top of cylinder 1 the fluid in the lower end of cylinder 2 will hold the work elevated.

In the diagramthe parts are shown as illustrating the work in. its highest position,

and the thermostatic controlling member 7 22 moved to a position tocause the work to be moved-downwardly wherein the operation will be as; follows ia The circuit may be traced from the thermostatic member 22 through contact 24, wire 36 to the lower'left-hand magnet 21, and from the lower left-hand magnet 21 through wire 35 tocontact 26, thence through contact 25 and wire 29 to battery'28, and

from battery 28 through wire 30 to the ther- I 17 to the upper end of cylinder 1. WVhen the valve is in this positionfihe fluid'will exert adownward ressureon the' iston 3 and, as this, piston 3 is ofappreciablygreater diameter than the piston 1, the valve 110'! other work will be moved downwardly, and

in the particular illustration the valve 11.

will be closed. Asthis'valve lljis being moved downwardly thecont act 25 will {move away from con tact 26, thusopening the circuitand incidentally deenergizing the magnets so that current is utilized only for the fraction of a second, which will be long enough to cause the valve to shift from one positionto the other,

and there will be very little current employed.

Furthermore, as; the valve is of the balanced type and easily moved little energy is required and electricconsumption is-reduced 'toan absolute minimum. -As the valve 11 is moved to its closed position the contact 25: will engage the contact 27 but the electric circuit will be opened as thethermostatio member 22 will be out ofengagement with the contact23. 1 7

lVhen the thermostatic member; 22 is movedby a fall in the temperature so as to engage the contact 23gthe upperleft-hand magnet 21 and the lower right-hand magnet 21 will be energized through the medium of the wires or conductors,i-as above indicated, and the valve 151w ill be moved to its former position which will, permit the fluid inthe larger cylinderl to waste through the pipe 17, valve 15 and waste pipe 18, and the fluid pressure in the smaller "cylinder; 2 will cause thevalve 11 or other work to be elevated to the former position. l/Vith a controlling apparatus such as above described, a balanced valve may be operated by a minimum of energy to control the flow of fluid of any pressure so as to perform any workdesired, and theoperation is entirely automatic through the medium of a thermostat of other temperaturecontrolled device, and the consumption of energy, such as electric energy to operate the valve, is reduced to a minimum, both as regards the time element in moving the valve and the power element to move the same. c

, While I have; illustrated what I believe to be a preferred embodiment of my inven tion, it is obvious various changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts described without departing from my invention and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such changes connecting the valve with the larger cylinder, a second pipe connecting the valve with the smaller cylinder, a supply pipe communicating with the last mentioned pipe, an armature secured to the valve, electromagnets positioned to attract the armature and to move the same in opposite directions, a thermostat controlling the circuit to said magnets, and a circuit breaker operated by the work moving means for opening and closing said circuit independently of said thermostat.

2. An automatic controlling apparatus, including cylinders of different diameters, connected pistons fitting in said cylinders, means connected to the pistons for performing work, a balanced supply and Waste valve, a pipe connecting the valve with the larger cylinder, a second pipe connecting a fluid supply with the smaller cylinder, a supply pipe communicating with said valve, a V-shaped armature fixed to move with the valve, electromagnets at opposite sides of the armature but out of alinement with each other, and a thermostat constituting a circuit closer and included in an electric circuit with said magnets. I

3. An automatic controlling apparatus, including cylinders of different diameters, connected pistons fitting in said cylinders, means connected to the pistons for performing Work, a balanced supply and waste valve, a pipe connecting the valve with the larger cylinder, a second pipe connecting a fluid supply with the smaller cylinder, a supply pipe communieating with said valve, a V-shaped armature fixed to move with the'valve, electromagnets at opposite sides of the armature but out of alinement with each other, a thermostat constituting a circuit closer and included in an electric circuit with said magnets, and a circuit breaker operatively connected to themovable means controlling the work.

4. An automatic controlling apparatus for fluid heat regulation, including a supply valve, fluid operated means for moving the supply valve, including a balanced stop and waste valve operatively connected to the supply valve moving means, electric means for moving the balanced valve included in circuit with a thermostatic circuit closer, and a circuit breaker movable with the supply valve for opening and closing said circuit independently of said thermostatic circuit closer.

5. An automatic control apparatus, including a pair of cylinders, connected pistons fitting said cylinders, means connected to the pistons for performing work, a valve for controlling the admission of fluid to and discharge of fluid from said cylinders, and magnetic means for controlling said valve, said means including a plurality of magnets and an armature for said magnets, said armature 1 being associated with said valve to move the same, there being two pairs of magnets, the magnets of one pair being out of alinement with the magnets of the other pair, whereby energization of one pair will not affect the other magnets, said armature including diverging extremities on either end.

FREDERIC C. CHADBORN. 

